The Law of Moses is like a shadow of the good things to come. This shadow isn't the good things themselves, because it cannot free people from sin by the sacrifices that are offered year after year. If there were worshipers who already have their sins washed away and their consciences made clear, there would not be any need to go on offering sacrifices.

But the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.

When Christ came into the world, he said to God, "Sacrifices and offerings are not what you want, but you have given me my body. No, you are not pleased with animal sacrifices and offerings for sin." Then Christ said, "And so, my God, I have come to do what you want, as the Scriptures say."

The Law teaches that offerings and sacrifices must be made because of sin. But why did Christ mention these things and say that God did not want them? Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and to replace them. That is what he meant by saying to God, "I have come to do what you want." So we are made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all.

The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God's right side, and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power.

By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.

The Holy Spirit also speaks of this by telling us that the Lord said, "When the time comes, I will make an agreement with them. I will write my laws on their minds and hearts. Then I will forget about their sins and no longer remember their evil deeds." When sins are forgiven, there is no more need to offer sacrifices.

My friends, the blood of Jesus gives us courage to enter the most holy place by a new way that leads to life! And this way takes us through the curtain that is Christ himself.

We have a great high priest who is in charge of God's house. So let's come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let's keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water.

We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us. –Heb 10:1-23.

No one knew about this mystery until God's Spirit told it to his holy apostles and prophets.

And the mystery is this: Because of Christ Jesus, the good news has given the Gentiles a share in the promises that God gave to the Jews. God has also let the Gentiles be part of the same body. — Eph 3:5-6, CEV.

JESUS CHRIST, YOUR MESSIAH, HAS COME!

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

So many dreams, so many different expectations

The word 'Messiah' means a liberator or would be liberator of an oppressed people. The people of Israel had been eagerly waiting for the arrival of the promised Messiah.

For some godly people like Simeon, the promised Messiah would come and liberate the people from the clutches of sin.

But for many like the Pharisees and the Saducees, the promised Messiah would come and liberate them from the clutches of political slavery, that is, liberation from alien rule. So, there were varied expectations.

Unexpectedly He came

It was a cold windy morning and the shepherds were keeping watch over their sheep in the fields. An angel of the Lord appeared before them all in a sudden and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were greatly afraid. The angel said to them, “…Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2: 10-11).

And the Angel gave the sign that the Baby would be wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Suddenly the angel was joined by thousands of other angels and declared: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” (Luke 2: 14).

The angels praised God for sending the Saviour (Liberator) to earth and His coming would bring peace and good-will toward men. There was reason for the world to rejoice because God has sent salvation to the hopeless world.

But it is a matter to be considered how the world received its Saviour. Had they received Him as their personal Saviour, they would have been spared condemnation.

Divisions, sects, prophets and ordinary people

Let us have a look at the condition of the people of Israel when Jesus was born. Israel was battered on all sides, First by the Babylonians, then by the Persians, followed by the Hellenic rule (Greek) and then by the Romans. They were tired of bearing the foreign yoke. There was no peace. There were divisions among the people and they were rebellious.

The Pharisees were orthodox Jews, separated from the corrupt influence of Hellenism, and appeared more religious than others.

On the other hand the Saducees had made peace with their political rulers and enjoyed positions and influence. Temple administration was in their hand.

Another sect was the Scribes, mainly of the tribe of Levi were supposed to be thorough in the knowledge of the Law and performed temple rituals. They were thinking of the days of David where there was no foreign aggression and the nation was in peace and everything in plenty.

For the people of Israel, Nehemiah was the last leader of eminence and Malachi was the last inspired prophet. For the next nearly four hundred years they were almost in the dark and no hope of liberation from foreign yoke.

The prophets right from Baalam to Malachi prophesied the arrival of the Messiah.

He came to save sinners

God the Creator of the universe, created Adam, the first man in His own image and placed him in the Garden of Eden, a Paradise on earth. When Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he became sin and lost the glory of God. Satan was happy as he scored victory over God by deceiving His creation closer to His heart. Because of the sin of man; instead of having an Eden-like world where there should be no sin, no death, no hatred, no animosity, no jealousy, till the coming of then Lord Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords we have a world of this kind, full of vice.

To free the world from all kinds of vices and to save the people from sin, God prepared a sacrifice in the form of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ as a lamb to shed his innocent blood and to crush the head of Satan on the cross (Genesis 3:15).

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (I Timothy 1:15).

Jesus Christ removed all the infirmities in the Law by His physical death (Romans 8:3) and brought Salvation to the world.

He came to give Eternal Life

Jesus said: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”(John 10:10). The thief (Satan) deceives the people and leads them to destruction. Jesus was concerned about the people and warned them not to fall a prey to the designs of Satan. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd… and I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15).

By shedding His blood on the cross, Jesus crushed the head of Satan and established Eternal redemption. The enmity (sin) which separated God and man was demolished by the bodily death of Jesus. Now, we have been made one with God by the blood of Jesus. Jesus Christ carried our sins and sorrows in the cross. We are no more reckoned as sinners and now belong to God. Jesus said, “In My Father's house are many mansions,… I go to prepare a place for you… I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also “ (John 14:2-3).

Jesus will take us to Heaven and give those who believe in Him Eternal life.

He came to seek the lost

Jesus Himself said: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

God is love. His son, Jesus Christ revealed the Father through His works. People saw God in Jesus. Jesus is pleased with His repenting people and ready to forgive their sins and to give Eternal Life. The main purpose of Jesus coming into this world is to give Eternal Life to His sheep.

Do it now!

Now seek the Lord with all you heart. Christ, born as the wonderful Baby of Bethlehem some two-thousand years ago will come into your heart and give peace which the world cannot give.

Ask Him to come to your heart and enjoy real peace.

This is real Christmas! This is the reason why Jesus Christ was born into the City of David some two thousand years ago.

Let us also sing with the Angels:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men!” (Luke 2:14).

El Greco’s The Adoration of the Shepherds in the Prado is an intensely personal picture, painted towards the end of the artist’s life not to please a patron but to hang near his tomb. In it, he dispenses with classical balance and proportion, rational space and harmonious colours in order to express his devotion to God. The wonderfully elongated figures of the Virgin, St Joseph and the three shepherds are tilted forward towards the viewer, their faces and hands lit not from the side, as in most Old Master paintings, but from below. This vertical column of flickering light illuminates a harsh palette of orange, lime green, magenta, purple and yellow, a pattern of colour made all the more vivid by the background of deepest blue. Though El Greco gives his figures exaggerated, theatrical poses, their reverent gestures convey the awe they feel as they realise that the long-awaited Saviour of mankind has at last arrived. El Greco depicts himself as the elderly shepherd kneeling before the Holy Family, humbly asking for Mary’s intercession with God to have mercy on his soul. Though he was the quintessential visionary painter of the Counter Reformation, his use of distortion and his willingness to treat light and space irrationally make him a curiously modern artist, one who uses paint not to describe form but to express feeling.

1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].

1Jn 1:9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

1Jn 1:10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].

JESUS CHRIST CHANGED THE WORLD. Peter HAMMOND.

JESUS CHRIST CHANGED THE WORLD

DR PETER HAMMOND

Transforming Time

Jesus Christ changed the world forever. When He was born, He transformed the very way we measure time. He turned aside the river of the ages and lifted the centuries off their hinges. His birthday, His Incarnation, touched and transformed time. Now the whole world counts time as Before Christ (BC) and AD (Anno Domoni - in the year of our Lord). Jesus Christ is the central figure of history. More books have been written about Jesus Christ than any other person in history.

Saving Lives

The world before Christ was a world without hospitals, a world without charity, a world without respect for the sanctity of life. Hospitals were an innovation of Christianity. Hence the healing symbol of a cross represents hospitals. The nursing profession was founded by Christians such as Florence Nightingale out of devotion for Christ. One of history's greatest humanitarian movements, the International Red Cross, was founded by Christians in response to the Scriptural injunctions to care for the sick and the suffering. Christians such as Dr. Louis Pasteur have fuelled some of the greatest practical advances in medicine. Pasteur has probably saved more lives than any other individual in history through his inventions.

Caring for the Poor

The whole concept of charity was a Christian innovation. Benevolence to strangers was unknown before Christ. The teachings and example of Jesus Christ have inspired the greatest acts of generosity, hospitality, self-sacrifice and service for the poor, sick and needy over two thousand years.

Setting the Captives Free

Before the advent of Christianity every culture-practised slavery and human sacrifice - even the highly esteemed Greek and Roman civilisations. Child sacrifice was common among the pagan religions. The Aztec Empire in Mexico and Inca Empire in Peru engaged in slavery, ritual rapes and mass human sacrifice. Suttee, the burning of widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands, was common practice in Hindu India before the missionary William Carey arrived. Slavery was eradicated as a result of tireless efforts of Christians such as William Wilberforce and David Livingstone. Respect for life and liberty is a fruit of Christianity. Those promoting abortion, euthanasia and pornography are not offering us progress, but only a return to pre-Christian paganism.

Blessing the Nations

The positive impact of Jesus Christ on the world cannot be overstated. Everything from education to human rights, from public health to economic liberty - the things we cherish most and many of the blessings we take for granted - all can be traced to the spiritual and the cultural revolution begun by Jesus Christ.

The Scientific Revolution

The irrefutable fact is that Christianity gave birth to modern science. The scientific revolution began with the Protestant Reformation and the Bible played a vital part in the development of scientific discovery. Every major branch of science was developed by a Bible believing Christian. The Bible essentially created science. When we get into a car, start the engine, turn on the lights, drive to a hospital, receive an anaesthetic before an operation, and have an effective operation done in a germ-free environment, we need to remember that we owe it all to Jesus Christ.

Education for All

"Every school you see - public or private, religious or secular - is a visible reminder of the religion of Jesus Christ. So is every college and university." Dr. James Kennedy.

There is no doubt that Jesus Christ was the greatest Teacher the world has ever known. When He spoke, "They were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority..." Mark 1:22. The life, teachings and example of Jesus Christ have profoundly influenced the whole development of education worldwide. The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus was to "make disciples of all nations... teaching them..." Matthew 28:19-20

From the very beginning Christians were establishing schools. Amongst the many innovations in Christian Education was that these Christian schools taught everybody, including girls and women. Formally educating both sexes was a Christian innovation. The Greeks and Romans before the birth of Christ did not formally educate girls. Only boys from the privileged classes obtained an education. Christianity revolutionised education by making it available to all classes and both genders. Saint Augustine observed that Christian women were better educated than the pagan male philosophers.

The phenomenon of education for the masses has its roots in Christianity. The pursuit of the knowledge of God in a systematic, philosophical and in-depth way gave rise to the phenomenon of universities all around the world. It was the Christian faith that gave rise to the idea of higher learning. The greatest invention in the field of learning, the printing press, by Johannes Gutenberg, was also a fruit of the Christian faith. The first book to be printed was the Bible.

Most of the languages of the world were first set to writing by Christian missionaries. The first book in most languages of the world has been the Bible. Christianity has been the greatest force for promoting literacy worldwide throughout history.

The Christian missionary movement in the 19th Century pioneered tens of thousands of schools throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands - providing education for countless millions, even in the remotest jungles, giving the gift of literacy to tribes which had never before had a written language.

Every branch and level of education was pioneered by Bible believing Christians. The concept of graded levels of education was first introduced by a German Lutheran, Johan Sturm in the 16th Century. Another Lutheran, Frederick Froebel introduced kindergartens. Education for the deaf was also pioneered by Christians.

Sunday schools were begun by Robert Raikes in 1780, to provide boys and girls from the poorest homes with the gift of literacy and the riches of the Scriptures.

One Truth

The very name "university" testifies to its Christian origins. University means "One Truth".The first universities grew out of the monastic missionary centres, which had discipled Europe. The first university lecturers were the missionary monks who had collected books, accumulated libraries, copied manuscripts and were uniquely equipped for advanced academic study. Most universities began as Christian schools. Isn't it time that teachers, lecturers and professors took an in depth look at the greatest Teacher the world has ever known, the greatest Book ever produced and the Faith with inspired and pioneered every major branch of education and science?.

Compassion for the Blind

Before Jesus Christ, human life in the Greek and Roman world was extremely cheap. Infants born with physical defects such as blindness, were commonly abandoned to. However, Jesus Christ showed particular compassion for the blind, healing many blind individuals during His ministry on earth. When the Roman persecution of the Church ended, in the 4th Century, Christians established asylums for the blind. In the 19th Century, Louis Braille, a dedicated Christian who lost his eyesight at age three, developed the worlds first alphabet that enabled blind people to read with their fingers.

The Rule of Law

The Bible, particularly the Ten Commandments, laid the framework and legal foundations of Western civilisation. The very first statute, the first written restriction on the powers of government was the Magna Carta of 1215. It was written by a pastor and thoroughly saturated with Scriptural principles.

Inspirational

The life and teachings of Jesus Christ have inspired the greatest literature, the greatest art, the greatest examples of architecture, the age of exploration, world missions, the rule of law, the separation of powers, checks and balances, representative government, the sanctity of life,compassion for the poor, blind and needy and so much more that we take for granted.

Christianity has been the most powerful agent in transforming society for the better across 2000 years. No other religion, philosophy, teaching, nation, or movement has changed the world for the better as Christianity has done.

The Bible is the greatest Book ever written. Jesus Christ is the greatest Man who has ever lived.

Wise men still seek Him.

He became like us - that we might become like Him.

He was rejected - that we might be accepted.

He was condemned - that we might be forgiven.

He was punished - that we might be pardoned.

He suffered - that we might be strengthened.

He was whipped - that we might be healed.

He was hated - that we might be loved.

He was crucified - that we might be justified.

He was tortured - that we might be comforted.

He died - that we might live.

He went to hell - that we might go to Heaven.

He endured what we deserve - that we might enjoy what only He deserves.

SIMPLE CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS IN A NUTSHELL. KORTFLIEK

GIVE THE PERFECT GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS!

GIVE THE PERFECT GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS!

“…one radio serves five churches”

A FEBA RADIO listener in a closed country writes, “I am writing this letter on behalf of many in my village who asked me to thank you for your broadcasts. We all accepted Jesus as our Saviour because of your radio programmes!”

While these are wonderful and refreshing testimonies, millions more remain unreached by the Gospel.

“People are literally begging for radios,” shared one of our FEBC directors. “In a remote area of Southeast Asia, one radio serves five churches. Every three days the radio is handed on to another community. The radio is never silent, making its way from village to village, sowing seeds in the hearts of listeners.”

GIVE THE PERFECT GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS!

Help someone to hear the Gospel in his/her own language

Make your donation of a durable windup radio at R400.00 per radio by clicking the “donate” tab below (for credit card users), or depositing the amount into our bank account by EFT or manual deposit, using reference: “Give-a-Radio”

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

Dear fellow believer

Thank you for your precious visits and your support during 2014. We will be out of office till January 5, 2015.

We wish you a blessed Christmas, a feast of joy, peace, certainties and hope for the future. There is no reason te fear the future, because Jses Christ is there, as He has been in the past and as He is in the present.

Dear Lord, bless the reader.

Hennie and Maretha Maartens.

Luk 2:14: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!"

Why are friendships in the church disappearing? That was the opening question at our church’s annual men’s retreat this past weekend with Jonathan Holmes, as he taught on Forging Friendships for Life. With Jonathan’s permission, I will pass on to you some of my personal takeaways from the excellent teaching we received. I hope it will bless you too.

A quote from Tod Bolsinger set the stage: “More than any before us, an American today believes ‘I must write the script of my own life.’ The thought that such a script must be subordinated to the grand narrative of the Bible is a foreign one. Still more alarming is the idea that this surrender of our personal story to God’s story must be mediated by a community of fallen people we frankly don’t want getting in our way and meddling with our own hopes and dreams.”

Why Are Christian, Male Friendships Disappearing?

Jonathan gave us four observations about the decline of male friendships in the church.

1. We don’t understand the purpose of friendship, the original design and intention for friendship. We are relational beings since we are made in the image of the relational God. By avoiding friendship we distort the image of God in our life. Without iron-sharpening-iron relationships with brothers in Christ we will not mature in the faith and be fruitful.

2. We don’t understand that sin has affected our ability to build friendships. Like sin caused Adam and Eve to attempt to hide from God, sin causes us to hide from others.

Sin creates a spiritual and spatial distance from God.

Sin taints our motivations for pursuing friendship.

Sin isolates us from others and creates an environment where loneliness flourishes. It creates an environment where the "one-anothers" cannot function.

Sin communicates an incorrect portrait of the gospel to the unsaved world.

3. We try to build friendships around common interests, common upbringings, sexuality, etc. This is how the world builds friendships, but true, biblical friendships are rooted in our mutual relationship to Christ.

4. We don’t understand that friendship with God is the foundation for our friendships with others. If we do not know God through personal repentant faith in Jesus Christ then we are still His enemies. We must become his friends through faith in Christ as our Mediator. Attempts to build a biblical friendship with a man who is not born again, not truly a brother in Christ, will remain shallow or fail.

Thus, there is a paradox in the church: We want friendship, but we really don’t want to do the hard work necessary to build real friendship.

Jesus, the true Friend.

It is only possible to make biblical friendships if we have first been befriended by God. Think about this from Romans 5:7-11; John 15:12-15; James 2:23. If you are not in right relationship with God then all your attempts at friendship will crumble. You first need a Savior.

PRAYER FOR RAIN AND MORE

PRAYER FOR RAIN AND MORE

Our Father who are in Heaven
may your holy Name be honoured;
may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Father, speak to us now and make us heed your words
in awe and humble reverence.

LORD, You are speaking to us, to me
as You spoke to Job out of the storm cloud:

Were you there when I made the world? If you know so much, tell me about it.
Who decided how large it would be?
Who stretched the measuring line over it? Do you know all the answers?
What holds up the pillars that support the earth? Who laid the cornerstone of the world?
In the dawn of that day the stars sang together, and the heavenly beings shouted for joy.
Who closed the gates to hold back the sea when it burst from the womb of the earth?

It was I who covered the sea with clouds and wrapped it in darkness.I marked a boundary for the sea and kept it behind bolted gates.I told it, "So far and no farther! Here your powerful waves must stop."
Job, have you ever in all your life commanded a day to dawn?
Have you ordered the dawn to seize the earth
and shake the wicked from their hiding places?
Daylight makes the hills and valleys stand out like the folds of a garment,
clear as the imprint of a seal on clay.

Have you ever visited the storerooms, where I keep the snow and the hail?I keep them ready for times of trouble, for days of battle and war.
Have you been to the place where the sun comes up,
or the place from which the east wind blows?
Who dug a channel for the pouring rain and cleared the way for the thunderstorm?
Who makes rain fall where no one lives?
Who waters the dry and thirsty land, so that grass springs up?
Does either the rain or the dew have a father?
Who is the mother of the ice and the frost,
which turn the waters to stone and freeze the face of the sea?
Can you tie the Pleiades together or loosen the bonds that hold Orion?
Can you guide the stars season by season and direct the Big and the Little Dipper?
Do you know the laws that govern the skies, and can you make them apply to the earth?
Can you shout orders to the clouds and make them drench you with rain?
And if you command the lightning to flash, will it come to you and say, "At your service"?
Who tells the ibis when the Nile will flood, or who tells the rooster that rain will fall?
Who is wise enough to count the clouds and tilt them over to pour out the rain,
rain that hardens the dust into lumps?
Who is it that feeds the ravens when they wander about hungry,
when their young cry to me for food? — Job 38:4-14, 22-38, 41.

It is You, LORD,
God of the Covenant
Self-Existent and Eternal
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Our God through your Son, Jesus Christ
—it is You, LORD,
who does all of this.

It is You, FATHER,
who takes care of this land and watches over it throughout the year.
And we are your children who should love You as the LORD our God
and serve You with all our heart. (Deut 11: 12,13)

Heavenly Father
Forgive us the wrongs we have done:
the cruelties against others that we have contemplated
legalized, motivated and executed;
the measure of our love for You:
tepid, half-hearted and conditional at its core;
our inconsistent interest
in your Will, your Kingdom
and the proclamation of your Name and Word.

It is before You, LORD,
God of the Covenant
Self-Existent and Eternal
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Our God through your Son, Jesus Christ
that we bow this day in sorrow and shame.

All of us without exception
have in some way been involved with other gods.
All of us without exception
have sinned.
We deserve disaster, confusion, and trouble from You
in everything we do, until we are quickly and completely destroyed.
We deserve your punishment:
drought and scorching winds to destroy our crops;
the absence of rain so that our ground will become as hard as iron.
duststorms and sandstorms until we are destroyed. (From Deut 28: 23, 24.)
The duststorms and sandstorms have come.
You sent them in September.

LORD, we deserve your punishment.
But You gave your Son to be punished on our behalf.
Father, in the NAME of your Son and our Saviour
We pray for yet another chance
yet another shower of blessings
yet another season of rain and bounty.
But You know, Father, what we need most of all:
to be in Your Presence
to be reunited with Jesus Christ, the Vine.

We praise You,our God,
all your servants and all members of this congregation
both great and small, who have reverence for You!"
— Rev 19:5.
We praise You on this day, our God,
For your mercy and your forgiveness.

IN A VACANT HOUSE

In A Vacant House
Poet: Philip Levine

Someone was calling someone;
now they've stopped. Beyond the glass
the rose vines quiver as in
a light wind, but there is none:
I hear nothing. The moments pass,
or seem to pass, and the sun,
risen above the old birch,
steadies for the downward arch.

It is noon. Privacy is
one thing, but to be alone,
to speak and not to be heard,
to speak again the same word
or another until one
can no longer distinguish
the presence of silence or
what the silence is there for...

WILL YOU DO THIS AS A MENTALLY TOUGH CHRISTIAN?

Quiz
Will you do this as a mentally tough Christian?

How would you rate the article, 5 Things Mentally Tough People Don't Do?
This reader rates it as very good.
How Biblical is the advice given in this article?
This reader has begun to realize that commonly held beliefs, concepts and widely accepted advice may be radically different from what the Bible teaches.
Now analyze this article in Scripture light. This reader has discovered Biblical truth in this article, but some elements of the advice given here do not correspond with Biblical principles at all.
Can you identify them? What are the Biblical principles?

5 Things mentally tough People Don’t Do

By JustinSua on August 28, 2013

Whether you are on the court or in the board room. Mental strength is demanded on a day to day basis for those in high profile positions. Athlete’s, CEO’s and risk hungry Entrepreneurs excel in their fields only by pursuing their goals with a thick skin and a high level of mental strength.

In this article, Sports and Performance Psychologist “Justin Sua” tells us what it takes to be mentally strong enough to take on the big wigs in the arena.

Are you mentally tough enough?

1) They don’t feel sorry for themselves

They understand that complaining doesn’t make the situation better.

They know that people won’t treat them they way they want to be treated, circumstances might not be ideal, and they will experience adversity; however, rather than complain about the negative aspects of their situation, they focus on2)

They don’t give people power over them what they want to happen and what they’re going to do about it.

They are not people pleasers.

They are relentless in their pursuit of their passion and aren’t worried about what other people think.

They give power to what they focus on, and if they waste their time focusing on the opinions of others, they lose sight of the things that will make them truly successful.

3) They don’t avoid change

They are always looking for ways to evolve. They believe that if they continue to give their best, their best will continue to get better over time.

With the competition continuing to get bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter; it’s important to have the mindset to improve by learning from successes and failures.

4) They don’t play small

The mentally tough swing for the fences and know that it might mean striking out a few times (or many times). Their purpose for achieving greatness casts away their fear of failure. They refuse to tip-toe through life, they intend on creating a legacy for the future by making an impact in the here-and-now.

5) They don’t focus on things they can’t control

They refuse to waste time focusing on things they can’t control because there is nothing they can do about it!

They understand that the less control a person feels the more susceptible they are to making poor decisions, falling into bad habits, and crumbling under pressure.

TWYFEL NIE: WAT OM TE DOEN AS JY NIKS HET NIE

English: blue
AFRIKAANS: swart

WHERE DO YOU START WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING?

A RADIO FEBA volunteer shared an unforgettable story with us. Tumi is from Soweto. About two years ago she was without a job, without prospects, without money. She felt as if she had no future, nothing to live for, nothing in this life which was supposed to be so great.

Then she did something that changed her life forever.

She had R5 in her purse, went to an Internet cafe and googled for opportunities for volunteer work. FEBA Radio was asking for volunteers at that stage. Tumi got an interview, was accepted as volunteer... and to her the rest is history and future. She has been with FEBA ever since. “I am learning something new every day,” she says. She addresses Church groups, travels a lot, presents seminars, is deeply involved with struggling kids, has acquired many skills... and lives her passion.

Would you employ Tumi?

Of course you would. She has a proven record of perseverance, emotional intelligence, self-discipline, trustworthiness, people skills and passion put to practice. She has become a dynamic young leader.

Where does one start when one has nothing? This is not an instant gratification answer. But it is a Biblical answer. Tumi followed this route... and God blessed her beyond any expectations she might have had.

Question: Does God really save those for whose salvation I pray?
God has already established a covenant with the parent, grandparent of believer who asks this question. Those who are not in Christ, will never be concerned about the spiritual wellbeing of others who are not in Christ.God says to his covenant people: Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

As God’s covenant people we hear Him saying in Exo 20:5,6: You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

To those who are in union with Him, Jesus Christ says: Joh 14:12:14: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

To all parents, grandparents and believers Scripture says:Jas 5:16:-18: The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

To those who are His, Jesus Christ says:Mar 11:22,23: "Have faith in God “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.”

To all who are fervently praying for the salvation of a child or someone else, the Bible says:

Eph 3:14-21: For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Does God answer our fervent prayers for the salvation of a child or someone whose name the Holy Spirit has given us to pray for? God certainly hears our prayer. Without a shadow of doubt we may rely on his promises.

DOUBT NOT. Scriptural answers to what matters to you now.Question: Does God withdraw his mercy, love and eternal life when my child goes astray as an adult?

William and Susan’s son, Louis, was five years old when he thanked Jesus Christ on Easter Friday that the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom in the darkness when Christ died. With his head against his father’s chest he thanked Jesus Christ for suffering and dying for him. “You loved me there, Jesus,” he said. “Thank you that I shall live forever, even if I die.” He jumped off William’s lap and voiced a conviction that only the Holy Spirit could have given him: “Now I have two daddies: you and God, for Jesus made the thick curtain tear in two in the darkness.”As a young man Louis went astray. He died under the influence in a car accident. William and Susan are still searching for an answer to the question: Does God withdraw his grace and salvation when my child goes astray?

This question has to do with a) our facts versus Scripture facts and b) man’s time versus God’s timelessness.
Our facts:
1.We live, think, plan and work in man-made calendar time. Our concept of salvation is that the process of salvation happens chronologically: wrong choices (sin)… unambiguous choice for Christ (after the age of ten, eleven, fifteen)… after this choice a life in which we see discipleship and the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
2.Many years after a Spirit-induced and –controlled encounter between Jesus Christ and a pre-school child, we may begin to regard this dedication and faith as too immature, too naive and too premature to have eternal value. We may secretly look upon it as spiritual child’s play, something that does not really amount to much. Does God not expect a more meritorious and more discursive act of surrender? Shouldn’t we be at least fifteen years old when we surrender ourselves to Christ?
3. We don’t want to witness the full spectrum of our child’s sinfulness, doubts and wrong choices in a non-chronological sequence. We have serious problems with this.
4. We want to see the grace of God manifested in this order in our child’s life: innocent child… wrong choices…salvation… joy about salvation…a life surrendered to Christ… We don’t want to see God’s mercy and promises manifested in this order: innocent child… salvation.. joy about salvation.. surrendered life… wrong choices…
5. But here are God’s facts in Scripture, the truth about God who is outside calendar time, God who is eternal. Here are the words of Jesus Christ about little children who receive the Kingdom of God. Here is God’s truth to every William and Susan who had a child like Louis:

Mar 10:14,15. When Jesus noticed this, he was angry and said to his disciples, "Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."Rom 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.From Rom 4:18-25: Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping... His faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God's promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God. He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised. The words "he was accepted as righteous" were not written for him alone.They were written also for us who are to be accepted as righteous, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from death. Because of our sins he was given over to die, and he was raised to life in order to put us right with God.

ENGLISHWhere do I start when I want to accompany and lead a little child to Jesus Christ?

Some years ago I experienced something sacred, indescribably beautiful and life-changing. All our grandchildren are raised as Covenant children by their parents, praise the Lord with all my soul. On a cold winter’s morning I sat in the sunlight with one of our grandchildren, who must have been about six years old at that time. I read Mark 9:31-37 to her:

Mar 9:31-37. Good News Bible.
Jesus was teaching his disciples: "The Son of Man will be handed over to those who will kill him. Three days later, however, he will rise to life."
But they did not understand what this teaching meant, and they were afraid to ask him.They came to Capernaum, and after going indoors Jesus asked his disciples, "What were you arguing about on the road?"
But they would not answer him, because on the road they had been arguing among themselves about who was the greatest.Jesus sat down, called the twelve disciples, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must place himself last of all and be the servant of all."
Then he took a child and had him stand in front of them. He put his arms around him and said to them, "Whoever welcomes in my name one of these children, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not only me but also the one who sent me."

Then I asked her five questions:
1. What does the Bible say here about Jesus’ disciples?
2. What don’t you like in this true story?
3. Is there anything you like very much in this true story?
4. What did Jesus Christ say about and do about little children?
5. Jesus came to show us what God the Father feels for little children. What does Jesus Christ AND his Father feel for you and say about YOU?

She answered all five questions. She did not like the disciples’ arguments. She loved the encounter between Jesus and the little child.

I actually wanted to ask a sixth question: “Don’t you think God is wonderful and that there is no god like the God of the Bible?”

The sixth question was unnecessary. The Holy Spirit had filled the child whom I wanted to lead to Christ with amazement, joy and a certainty Gods love. Joy from God is unforgettably beautiful; it is a revelation. On a winter’s morning in the 21st century the Holy Spirit made Christ’s love for her as tangible and real as He Himself was putting his arm around her.

She asked the sixth question: “Granny, the little child whom Jesus called... was it a little boy, or a little girl?”

So, when the time comes for you to lead a little one to Christ, consider leading the little one to where Jesus Christ is with other little children.

HEB. 13:5. God self het gesê: “Ek sal jou nooit verlaat nie, jou nooit in die steek laat nie.”
HEB 13:5: For God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never abandon you." (GNB.)
HEB 13:5: Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what.Who or what can get to me?

Heb 13:5, the Message, EUGENE H. Peterson:
HEB 13:5: For He [God] [b]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor [c]give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [d][I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor [e]let [you] down ([f]relax My hold on you)! [[g]Assuredly not!] Heb 13:5, Amplified Bible.

ENGLISH
My problem: I think God does not want to anwer my prayers.
Remark: Is the deeper problem, the problem behind this problem not perhaps that you and I read an listen to God’s assurances and promises as if they are on the same level as human assurances and promises? We have been disillusioned by people. We have been hurt, we don’t trust promises any more. But this moment of doubt and faltering faith is a moment of choice. Whom are you going to believe: your disillusioned heart, or your God? Here is God’s promise to you:

HEB 13:5: For God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never abandon you." (GNB.)
HEB 13:5: Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what.Who or what can get to me?

Heb 13:5, the Message, EUGENE H. Peterson:
HEB 13:5: For He [God] [b]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor [c]give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [d][I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor [e]let [you] down ([f]relax My hold on you)! [[g]Assuredly not!] Heb 13:5, Amplified Bible.

ENGLISH QUESTION: Is it normal to doubt?The more abnormal the situation, the more normal (synonym: typically human) it is to doubt. The darker the night, the longer the light stays away, the more normal (typically human) it is to doubt whether GOD will ever again give light, whether He cares, whether He will change the situation. The night was very dark, dawn was far away and the sea of Galilee was abnormally turbulent when all twelve disciples cried out: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38.)

It is normal (common to man) to succumb to doubt when things seem to go terribly wrong. But Jesus says there is a better way, a way to blessings. This way is not easy, but it is unfathomably better to make a choice against doubt. It is not easy. It is an act of will, but something from God Himself happens when one chooses against “normal human conduct,” which is doubt.

Jesus says: “Blessed is he (she) who does not doubt Me.”What He is actually saying is this: one chooses for or against God’s blessings when one chooses for or against doubt.
What is your choice? To doubt or trust Jesus Christ? Those who choose trust, may know that they will experience his blessings.

Question from a dejected Christian: Am I really blessed? Why do others seem more blessed than I am?

As if there is a single Christian who never asks this question? As is there is a single one of us who does not understand this question, who does not have intimate knowledge of this kind of darkness! You are therefore not the only one to ask this question about God’s favour and blessings. I often think the same thoughts.
We can depend on the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth. He takes us directly to Jesus Christ, the One with whom I would like to discuss this matter. And so the Holy Spirit takes us to the place and occasion where Jesus Christ teaches us about Gods favour and blessings. This is what He says (present tense, for what He said is forever true):

MATTHEW 5: 3-11, GOOD NEWS BIBLE.
"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! "Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them! "Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully! "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! "Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God! "Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children! "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! "Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted.

MATTHEW 5: 3-11, THE MESSAGE, EUGENE H PETERSON.
3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. 7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. 9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Are you and I blessed? After listening quietly to Jesus Christ, we shall know. And we shall know exactly why or why not.

TWYFEL NIE: Kan ek God se arm in beweging bring deur gebed?

My vraag: Kan ek God se arm in beweging bring deur te bid?
In ‘n moeilike tyd in jou lewe hoor jy ‘n stelling soos die volgende: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In other words, if you throw a ball at a brick wall that ball is going to bounce off that wall and come back to you. Action causes action. This is what we are looking for when we pray. One of the most powerful actions in the universe is prayer. Therefore, true prayer must produce and cause action. It’s time we become unsatisfied with anything less then our prayers resulting in action! There are two types of action our prayers should produce.
First: God must be moved to action by our prayers. (Isaiah 64:4). Let’s say it like this, “God is moved to action by those who seek Him.” That’s incredible! It’s prayer that ‘awakens’ God to move in our city and in our lives. It’s prayer that pierces the heavens and gets God’s attention.” (Jesus Culture, http://www.jesusculture.com/articles/prayer-that-causes-action.)

ENGLISHMy question: Can I move God’s arm through prayer?Right now you are experiencing lots of problems. Somebody quotes this to you: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In other words, if you throw a ball at a brick wall that ball is going to bounce off that wall and come back to you. Action causes action. This is what we are looking for when we pray. One of the most powerful actions in the universe is prayer. Therefore, true prayer must produce and cause action. It’s time we become unsatisfied with anything less then our prayers resulting in action! There are two types of action our prayers should produce.
First: God must be moved to action by our prayers. (Isaiah 64:4). Let’s say it like this, “God is moved to action by those who seek Him.” That’s incredible! It’s prayer that ‘awakens’ God to move in our city and in our lives. It’s prayer that pierces the heavens and gets God’s attention.” (Jesus Culture, http://www.jesusculture.com/articles/prayer-that-causes-action.)
I am so glad that there is a thinking error in this. This is what the Bible says about the “arm/hand” of God:

Psa 70:4 May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!"
Psa 70:5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
Psa 89:13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.
Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
Isa 59:2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

The root word, yâd (Ancient Bible Hebrew) is often translated as “arm” or “hand.” The real meaning of the word yâd is: God’s power, might and strength. We are weak, helpless and needy. We are totally dependent on God’s transforming and saving power in every dimension of our life: in every relationship, in our battle for survival, in our concepts, spiritual lostness, insights, choices, work, calling, sanctification, in parenthood and choices, in old age, in temptation, in the preservation of our faith, in our spiritual lostness. God’s Spirit is working in us when we pray: the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isa 11:2)

We are not a band of God-movers and arm-turners.Col 2:6 Since you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, live in union with him. Col 2:7 Keep your roots deep in him, build your lives on him, and become stronger in your faith, as you were taught. And be filled with thanksgiving. (GNB)

It’s about taking a hand. Looking up to someone and trusting them, feeling safe, and certain that they will protect you. Bold humility. When you have childlike faith you walk around in boldness, with no shame, no arrogance, and confidence. You don’t withhold anything, you give it your all and without a begrudging attitude. Know nothing but learn everything. Childlike faith is understanding that you know nothing but can learn everything. It takes faith to be able to learn from others. Bron: Justin http://steinyscorner.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-is-childlike-faith.html..

In his blog, Justin Steinhart defines childlike faith in this way: " It’s about taking a hand. Looking up to someone and trusting them, feeling safe, and certain that they will protect you. Bold humility. When you have childlike faith you walk around in boldness, with no shame, no arrogance, and confidence. You don’t withhold anything, you give it your all and without a begrudging attitude. Know nothing but learn everything. Childlike faith is understanding that you know nothing but can learn everything. It takes faith to be able to learn from others." Source: Justin Steinhart : http://steinyscorner.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-is-childlike-faith.html.

In his walk, Jesus talked about childlike faith in this way:
Matt 18:2-4, GNB: Jesus called a child to come and stand in front of them (his disciples) and said, "I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven. The greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the one who humbles himself and becomes like this child."

Matthew 18: 2-4, THE MESSAGE, EUGENE H Peterson.
For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.

To believe the Bible and the Good News about Jesus Christ, may release a deluge of negative remarks and humiliating experiences upon you. All these painful experiences will pass. But one fact can never be eradicated, it will always hold true. Jesus Christ said: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away . — Mat 24:35. Everyone who trusts and believes Jesus Christ in the way little children trust a good parent, everyone who takes the outstretched hand of his Father, shall surely receive true life on earth and eternal life in the time to come.

If all is not lost, then where the heck is it?

1. I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.

2. My wild oats are mostly enjoyed with prunes and all-bran.

3. I finally got my head together, and now my body is falling apart.

4. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

5. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

6. If all is not lost, then where the heck is it ?

7. It was a whole lot easier to get older, than to get wiser.

8. Some days, you're the top dog; some days you're the hydrant.

9. I wish the buck really did stop here; I sure could use a few of them.

10. Kids in the back seat cause accidents.

11. Accidents in the back seat cause kids.

12. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.

13. The world only beats a path to your door when you're in the bathroom.

14. If God wanted me to touch my toes, he'd have put them on my knees.

15. When I'm finally holding all the right cards, everyone wants to play chess.

16. It's not hard to meet expenses . . . they're everywhere.

17. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

18. These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter . . .I go somewhere to get something, and then wonder what I'm "here after".

19. Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

20. HAVE I SHARED THIS LITTLE LIST WITH YOU BEFORE?
—Contributed by Annemie Bosch.

OLD WOMEN SHOULD NOT CROUCH IN PUBLIC and 9 other facts only those over 65 can tell you

1. Old women should not crouch in public.It is most unbecoming.
2. Heartburn is un-ignorable.
3. There is no greater pressure than bladder pressure.
4. One can hurt oneself with a hairbrush.
5. When you mistake the father of an 18 year old for an 18 year old you are going on 80.
6. When you wee in your pants/panties after the age of 21, you are 65 plus.
7. Most 65 plus men and women are neutral about sex most of the time.
8. When you love your old spouse more than ever, but not in the same way as before, you are 65 plus.
9. Those who calculate how old they will be in 7 years’ time are now 65 plus.
10. If you study the physique, lifestyle, life scars and day to day transport of people in the 70-80 age group, you yourself are now 65 plus.

THE ROUTE TO GOD'S BEST FOR YOU IS NOT THE NI NORTH, and 9 other facts only mature Christians can tell you.

THE ROUTE TO THE BEST FROM GOD IS NOT THE N1 NORTH

1. The route to the best from God is not the N1 North. On the N1 North or South one can choose the next stop.

2. Kicking open a door that God has closed, means hurting oneself.

3. God answers prayer. Jesus came to our world to tell us that. Man can take his Word for it, for He is the Word Incarnate (made flesh, embodied.)
Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. — John 16: 23,24.

4. The best from God is to be in union with Christ.
In union with Christ and through our faith in him we have the boldness to go into God's presence with all confidence.— Eph 3:12.

5. The route to the best from God is not my way.

6. The Kingdom of God is mobile. It is within us.
Luk 17:20,21. Some Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. His answer was, "The Kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to be seen. No one will say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!'; because the Kingdom of God is within you."

7. Huge parts of us die when we life in Christ.

8. When we are in union with Christ, we live in never-ending awe.

9. Children who are taken along to where Jesus Christ sits with a motley mob of kids huddled up close to Him, fall in love with Him for ever.

10. The language, message, literature, scope and God of the Bible surpass all human skill and creativity. Another book more or less like it is unrealizable, unachievable and beyond any illumination experienced by man.

* This is an extract from a series at present being written by Maretha Maartens. The titles are:

To Light a Candle is magic
and other facts only a child can tell you

Old women should not crouch in public
and other facts only 65 plussers can tell you

The route to the best from God is not the N1 North
And other facts only mature Christians can tell you

Women who work from home scrape lots of saucepans
And other facts only those who work from home can tell you

Loss may be gain
And other facts only losers can tell you

The best of times feels like the worst of times
And other facts only survivors can tell you

TO LIGHT A CANDLE IS MAGIC and 9 other facts only a child can tell you

To light a candle is magicand 9 other facts only a child can tell you

1. To light a candle is magic. To light the match, to see light and warmth come into being, to enjoy a flame is magic.
2. When parents divorce, the hurt goes on forever.
3. Money is nice, to sit with you and talk is super.
4. The best parents in the world are those who laugh a lot.
5. Good food begins with the letter P: Pizza, pasta, popcorn, pancakes, pies, peanut butter , potato fries, pudding, parfaits and pomegranate pips. Ignore porridge, that’s a mistake.
6. When the tooth mouse or tooth fairy leaves, it is the departure of an irreplaceable friend.
7. Pets are people.
8. God loves people and He is good.
9. You have a life at work or at home. I have one too at a different venue.
10. Technology is more difficult to spell than to master.

Old women should not crouch in public
and other facts only 65 plussers can tell you

The route to the best from God is not the N1 North
And other facts only mature Christians can tell you

Women who work from home scrape lots of saucepans
And other facts only those who work from home can tell you

Loss may be gain
And other facts only losers can tell you

The best of times feels like the worst of times
And other facts only survivors can tell you

A GUIDE TO HAVING A BETTER LIFE NOW AND TILL YOU DIE

A GUIDE TO A BETTER LIFE by RANDY PAUSCHFROM: THE LAST LECTURE, 2007

Personality:
1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment
3. Don't overdo; keep your limits
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Community:
15. Call your family often
16. Each day give something good to others
17. Forgive everyone for everything
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day
20. What other people think of you is none of your business
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.
23. GOD heals everything
24. Do the right things
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
27. The best is yet to come
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy.

ABOUT RANDY PAUSCH
Dr. Randolph Frederick "Randy" Pausch[2] (October 23, 1960 – July 25, 2008) was an American professor of computer science and human-computer interaction and design at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pausch learned that he had pancreatic cancer in September 2006, and in August 2007 he was given a terminal diagnosis: "3 to 6 months of good health left". He gave an upbeat lecture titled "The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" on September 18, 2007, at Carnegie Mellon, which became a popular YouTube video and led to other media appearances. He then co-authored a book called The Last Lecture on the same theme, which became a New York Times best-seller.

Are you facing fear today? Perhaps you are afraid of losing your job, of developing cancer or being left by your spouse. At times all of us experience fear. But don't allow fear to keep you from being used by God. He has kept you thus far; trust Him for the rest of the way. --Woodrow Kroll (president and Bible teacher for the international Back to the Bible radio and television ministry.)

This weekend a cry of despair came from someone belonging to a Facebook circle of friends: I GIVE UP. I CAN'T GO ON!
This cry haunted me the whole weekend. Don't we all cry like that sometimes? "It is just too much. It is too painful. I has been going on for too long... "
Dear fellow traveller, heaven and earth resounds with another Voice this morning:

The LORD himself will lead you and be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you, so do not lose courage or be afraid." —Deut 31: 8.
And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."— Matt 28:10.

PRAYER
Lord, when we can't go on, we can't.
But You can help us when we reach the place of can't-move-on.
Let every person who feels as if this is the end know today: I can't, but You can. And you will.
Take every person who feels that this is the end in your faithful and tender care. And show him/her/me what we should see right now.

THE GREEN FAIRY

THE GREEN FAIRYAbsinthe ( i/'æbs?nθ/ or /'æbsænθ/; French: [aps?~t]) is historically described as a distilled, highly alcoholic (45–74% ABV / 90-148 proof) beverage.[1][2][3][4] It is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from botanicals, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium (a.k.a. "grand wormwood"), together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. Absinthe traditionally has a natural green colour but may also be colourless. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" (the green fairy). Although it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a liqueur, absinthe is not traditionally bottled with added sugar, and is therefore classified as a spirit.[5] Absinthe is traditionally bottled at a high level of alcohol by volume, but is normally diluted with water prior to being consumed.
Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland in the late 18th century. It arose to great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Owing in part to its association with bohemian culture, the consumption of absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibitionists. Ernest Hemingway, Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Amedeo Modigliani, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Aleister Crowley, Erik Satie and Alfred Jarry were all known absinthe drinkers.

Absinthe has often been portrayed as a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug.[7] The chemical compound thujone, although present in the spirit in only trace amounts, was blamed for its alleged harmful effects. By 1915, absinthe had been banned in the United States and in much of Europe, including France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Although absinthe was vilified, it has not been demonstrated to be any more dangerous than ordinary spirits. Any psychoactive properties attributed to absinthe, apart from that of the alcohol, have been much exaggerated.[7] A revival of absinthe began in the 1990s, following the adoption of modern European Union food and beverage laws that removed longstanding barriers to its production and sale. By the early 21st century, nearly 200 brands of absinthe were being produced in a dozen countries, most notably in France, Switzerland, USA, Spain, and the Czech Republic.

NOW CHOOSE: one woman's prayer and choices

Now chooseOne woman's prayer and choices.

A Prayer
Refuse to fall down
If you cannot refuse to fall down,
refuse to stay down.
If you cannot refuse to stay down,
lift your heart toward heaven,
and like a hungry beggar,
ask that it be filled.
You may be pushed down.
You may be kept from rising.
But no one can keep you from lifting your heart
toward heaven
only you.
It is in the middle of misery
that so much becomes clear.
The one who says nothing good
came of this,
is not yet listening.
— Clarissa Pinkola Estés: The Faithful Gardener: A Wise Tale About That Which Can Never Die

“Writing, real writing, should leave a small sweet bruise somewhere on the writer . . . and on the reader.”? Clarissa Pinkola Estés

“How does one know if she has forgiven? You tend to feel sorrow over the circumstance instead of rage, you tend to feel sorry for the person rather than angry with him. You tend to have nothing left to say about it all.”? Clarissa Pinkola Estés

“There is a time in our lives, usually in mid-life, when a woman has to make a decision - possibly the most important psychic decision of her future life - and that is, whether to be bitter or not. Women often come to this in their late thirties or early forties. They are at the point where they are full up to their ears with everything and they've "had it" and "the last straw has broken the camel's back" and they're "pissed off and pooped out." Their dreams of their twenties may be lying in a crumple. There may be broken hearts, broken marriages, broken promises.”
? Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

“Forgiveness is an act of creation. You can choose from many ways to do it. You can forgive for now, forgive till then, forgive till the next time, forgive but give no more chances it’s a whole new game if there is another incident. You can give one more chance, give several more chances, give many chances, give chances only if. You can forgive part, all, or half of the offense. You can devise a blanket of forgiveness. You decide” ? Clarissa Pinkola Estés

ABOUT ATTITUDE

THE DIFFERENCE IS ATTITUDE & FOCUSWe who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”? Viktor E. Frankl

People who go to Disney who have magic in themselves experience magic there, just as people who go to the grocery store who have magic in themselves experience magic at the grocery store. The principle is simple: fun, joy, and happiness, are something we bring to life, not something life, circumstance, or situation bring to us. There are truly no magic kingdoms, only magic people. Fun, joy and happiness are choices, orientations, approaches, attitudes, a way of living in the world, not the world itself...”
? David W. Jones, Moses and Mickey Mouse: How to Find Holy Ground in the Magic Kingdom and Other Unusual Places.

Our hearts are going out to the people of Boston, USA, where the Boston marathon came to a tragic end when two bombs exploded at the finishing line. This morning we have but one prayer for all involved:

Lord, as South Africans we know and live with death and pain and loss.
From the depths of our hearts we pray for the people of Boston, for every athlete who never expected this.
We pray for all who were hurt, for the loved ones of all who lost their lives.
We pray against the enemy of those whom You have made and created for purpose.
We pray for every Christian family who, at this time, is facing the terror and pain of death.
Let them find comfort in your eternal Word: